Descriptive Summary
Harper, James W.
James W. Harper Collection,
1848-1989 and undated
The collection
consists of research material on Hugh Lenox Scott collected by Dr. James Harper
as preparation for his writings.
S1291.1
Southwest Collection/Special Collections
Library, Texas Tech University
4 Boxes (3.5 linear
feet)
English.
Biographical Sketch
James Harper is a retired history professor who formerly taught at
Texas Tech University. In researching his dissertation, Dr. Harper collected
copies of documents pertaining to the military career and personal life of
Major General Hugh Lenox Scott and his family. As a professor, Harper's
continued research included conducting oral history interviews with some of
General Scott's descendents.
Major General Hugh Lenox Scott was born in Kentucky in 1853. An 1876
graduate of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, Scott
began his career as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Cavalry on the
northern plains. During his time in the west, Scott studied Native Americans
and used his knowledge and skill in sign language to promote peaceful
relations. He served in the Spanish-American War and assisted in the
reconstruction period in Cuba. Other offices held by Scott include Governor of
Sulu Archipelago in the Philippines, Superintendent of the U. S. Military
Academy at West Point, Chief of Staff of the Army, interim Secretary of War,
Commandant of Fort Dix, Chairman of the New Jersey Highway Commission, and a
member of the Board of Indian Commissioners. Scott's skill as a negotiator
helped avert conflict in a number of incidents with Native Americans and with
Francisco "Pancho" Villa on the Mexican border. Hugh Lenox Scott married Mary
Merrill, daughter of General Lewis Merrill, in 1880. He died in 1934.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains copies of Dr. Harper's writings on General
Scott and notes and materials used in his research. Types of material in the
collection include personal and official correspondence, financial material,
government reports, news clippings, and printed material. Much of the
collection consists of photocopies or microfilm copies of selected material
held in other archives or from descendents of Hugh Lenox Scott. Sources of
material include the Library of Congress, United States Army Military History
Institute - Carlisle Barracks, United States Military Academy Library - Special
Collections, United States National Archives, and the University of Texas
Library. The source collection and subject of contents is noted on each file
and many leaves include additional location information.
The bulk of the collection consists of items from the Hugh Lenox Scott
Family papers. In addition to correspondence between Scott family members, the
Family papers contain documents and correspondence of the Lewis Merrill family.
Scott's wife Mary was the daughter of General Lewis Merrill, a veteran of the
Civil War and Indian campaigns in the western United States. Dr. Harper
obtained photocopies from originals in the possession of Hugh Lenox Scott II,
General Scott's grandson. Some of the correspondence had been arranged in
chronological files by Dr. Harper and this arrangement was preserved in the
files labeled "General." All the correspondence files contain similar material,
comprised mostly of letters between General Scott and his wife Mary. At this
time, the Southwest Collection has no confirmation as to the disposition of the
original documents in the Hugh Lenox Scott Family papers. Copied microfilm
rolls from the United States National Archives and the Library of Congress have
been transferred to the Microfilm Collections of the Southwest Collection.
Organization
The collection is organized into the following series:
- James W. Harper (Box 1)
- Hugh Lenox Scott Family Papers (Boxes 1-2)
- Library of Congress (Boxes 2-3)
- United States Army Military History- Carlisle Barracks (Box 3)
- United States Military Academy Library- Special Collections (Box 3)
- United States National Archives (Boxes 3-4)
- University of Texas Library (Box 4)
Index Terms
The subject headings used by the Southwest Collection/Special
Collections Library are derived from the Library of Congress and/or locally
developed.
Subjects (Persons)
Merrill, Lewis
Merrill, Annie
Scott, Hugh Lenox, 1853-1934
Scott, Mary Merrill
Subjects
Scott family--Correspondence
Bliss, Tasker Howard, 1853-1930--Correspondence
Pershing, John J. (John Joseph), 1860-1948--Correspondence
Villa, Pancho, 1878-1923--Correspondence
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924--Correspondence
United States. Army--Officers
United States. Board of Indian Commissioners
United States Military Academy
Indians of North America--Government relations
Military readiness
Spanish-American War
Collection accession #(s):
2002-0220-B
Gift, 2002
Access Restrictions
Open for research
Processed by
Karen Hicks, 2004
Preferred Citation
Preferred citation for material from the Hugh Lenox Scott Family
Papers:
James W. Harper Collection, 1848-1989 and undated, Southwest
Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock,
Texas
Preferred citation for material from other collections:
Proper citation information for each identified collection can be
found in the database of the source archive. Please refer to the website of the
source archive or contact an archivist.
For related materials located in the Southwest Collection/Special
Collections Library, see the following collections:
- Luz Corral de Villa oral history interview (Spanish) [sound
recording], conducted by James W. Harper, 1975
- Sarah Houston Merrill Scott Foulk oral history interview [sound
recording], conducted by James W. Harper, 1975
- Hugh Lenox Scott II oral history interview [sound recording],
conducted by James W. Harper, 1975
- Benjamin Henry Grierson Papers, 1827-1941
- George Gibson Huntt Papers, 1948-1879
Collection Inventory
Harper, James W., 1878-1989 and undated
1
1
Correspondence - Harper, James with Hugh Lenox Scott
descendents,
1975-1989
1
2
Genealogical Information - Scott Family,
1908-1981
Literary Production
1
3
Hugh Lenox Scott: Soldier
Diplomat, 1876-1917, Harper, James W., unpublished Ph. D. thesis,
University of Virginia,
1968
1
3
The El Paso-Juárez
Conference of 1916, Harper, James W., Arizona and the West, Volume 20
Number 3: 231-244,
1978
1
3
Hugh Lenox Scott y la
Diplomacia de los Estados Unidos Hacia la Revolución de Mexicana,
Historia Mexicana, vol. XXVII No. 3:427-445,
1978
Printed Material
1
4
The Army's Legendary Sgt.
I-See-O, by Major General Robert P. Hollis, Army, June,
1977
1
5
Re: Court Martial of 1st Lieutenant Charles T.
Weatherill, 19th Infantry, ("Goodfellow"),
1878
1
6
Government Reports,
1916-1918
1
7
Hugh Lenox Scott Biographical Information,
1928-1943 and
undated
Research Material
1
8
Mexico - General,
undated
1
9
Notes: August
Meeting,
undated
1
10
Photocopy Orders,
1970-1976 and
undated
1
11
Hugh Lenox Scott, West
Point and family,
undated
1
12
Sources,
1973 and
undated
1
13
Source not known - Re: Naco Agreement,
1914
1
14
Source not known,
1912 and
undated
1
15
Spanish-American War,
undated
Hugh Lenox Scott Family Papers, 1855-1976 and
undated
Correspondence
1
16
General,
1871
1
17
General,
1872
1
18
General,
1875
1
19
General,
1876
1
20
General,
1878
1
21
General,
1879
1
22
General,
1880
1
23
General,
1881
1
24
General,
1882
1
25
General,
1887
1
26
General,
1888
1
27
General,
1889
1
28
General,
1895
1
29
General,
1899
1
30
General,
1902
1
31
General,
1908
1
32
General,
1910
1
33
General,
1917
1
34
General,
1918
1
35
General,
1919
1
36
General,
1920
1
37
General,
1921
1
38
General,
1922
1
39
General,
1923
1
40
General,
1924
1
41
General,
1925
1
42
General,
1926
1
43
General,
1927
1
44
General,
1928
1
45
General,
1929
1
46
General,
1930
1
47
General,
1931
1
48
General,
1932
1
49
General,
1933
1
50
General,
1934
2
1
Re: Apache
Prisoners,
1911
2
2
To Foulk, Sarah Houston Merrill Scott,
1900-1976 and
undated
2
3
Merrill, Annie Houston - General,
undated
2
4
Merrill, Lewis from Annie Houston Lewis,
1860-1880 and undated
2
5
Merrill, Lewis to Annie Houston Lewis,
1858-1870 and
undated
2
6
Merrill, Lewis - General,
1858-1895
2
7
Merrill Children (Houston, Lulu, and Mary),
1869-1884 and
undated
2
8
To Merrill Family Members,
1896-1921
2
9
Re: Philippines,
1904-1934
2
10
Scott, Anna Merrill,
1900-1916
Scott, Hugh Lenox
2
11
From family,
1871-1900
2
12
To family,
1879-1898
2
13
General,
1869-1932 and
undated
2
14
From Merrill, Lewis,
1882-1884
2
15
To Merrill, Lulu,
1891-1910
2
16
Re: Military,
circa
1870s-1885
2
17
From Scott, Mary Merrill (Wife),
1883-1933 and
undated
2
18
To Scott, Mary Merrill (Wife),
1892-1896
2
19
From Scott, Mary (Mother),
1871-1887 and undated
2
20
To Scott, Lewis Merrill,
1918
2
21
To Scott, Mary Merrill - General,
1895-1940
2
22
To Scott, Mary Merrill -Re: Finances,
1928 and
undated
2
23
Miscellaneous,
1860-1883 and undated
2
24
Financial Material - Merrill Family Monthly Accounts,
Grocery Purchases,
1887-1888
2
26
Indian Scouts and I-See-O,
1891-1927 and
undated
Merrill, Lewis
2
26
Court Martial as United States Military Academy Cadet,
1855
2
27
Genealogy,
1884-1893 and
undated
2
28
Miscellaneous Papers,
1880-1891 and
undated
2
29
Statement of Military Service,
1937
2
30
Photocopies of Photographs and Clippings,
1904-1932 and
undated
2
31
Printed Material - Re: West Point,
1898-1931
Scott, Hugh Lenox
2
32
Efficiency Report,
1890-1899
2
33
Memorial - 1939,
1936-1939 and undated
2
34
Miscellaneous Documents,
1882-1887
2
35
References,
1888
2
36
Transcript of meeting between Sultan and Governor Scott,
Jolo, Philippines,
1903
Library of Congress, 1913-1934
Papers of Newton Diehl Baker, circa
1898-1962
2
37
Correspondence from Hugh Lenox Scott re: Russia,
1917
2
38
El Paso-Juarez Conference,
1916
2
39
Matter of Albert B. Dockery and Charles Young - 10th
Cavalry,
1917
Papers of Tasker Howard Bliss, 1870-1930
2
40
Correspondence - various,
1914
2
41
Re: Mexico,
1913-1915
Henry Breckenridge Papers, 1909-1954, n.d. in the
Breckenridge Family Collection
2
42
Excerpts from diaries - January 1914-August 1915,
1914-1915
Papers of William Jennings Bryan, 1877-1940
2
43
Re: Mexico,
1914
Papers of James Rudolph Garfield, 1879-1950
2
44
Re: Code,
1915 and
undated
2
45
Re: Mexico,
1914-1915
Papers of Robert Lansing, 1831-1935
2
46
Re: German Submarines,
1916
2
47
Re: Mexico and German influence thereof,
1914-1915
2
48
Re: Vera Cruz, Mexico,
1914
Papers of John J. Pershing, 1882-1971
2
49
Correspondence with Hugh Lenox and Mary Merrill Scott,
1917-1934
2
50
Correspondence with Hugh Lenox Scott re: War
Department,
1931
2
51
Re: El Paso-Juarez Conference,
1914-1917
2
52
Re: Mexico,
1914 and
undated
Papers of Elihu Root, 1863-1937
2
53
Diplomatic Mission to Russia,
1917
Papers of Hugh Lenox Scott, 1582-1981
2
54
Re: August Meeting,
Telegrams from Francisco Pancho Villa,
1915
2
55
Diary of H. L. Scott, Major
General U. S. Army, U. S. Commission to Russia,
1917
2
56
Re: El Paso-Juarez Conference,
1916
2
57
Re: Mexico,
1914-1915
3
1
Re: Philippines,
1916
3
2
Re: Russia,
1917
Papers of John Sharp Williams, 1902-1924
3
3
Matter of Albert B. Dockery and Charles Young - 10th
Cavalry,
1917
Papers of Woodrow Wilson, 1786-1957
3
4
Re: Assiniboine,
1915
3
5
Re: El Paso - Juarez Conference,
1916
3
6
Mexican song about Wilson (Spanish and English) with
analysis,
1916-1958 and
undated
3
7
Re: Mexico,
1913-1915
3
8
Re: Hugh Lenox Scott, Army Chief of Staff,
1915
3
9
Re: Vera Cruz, Mexico,
1914
3
10
Correspondence to Hugh Lenox Scott (Source collection
not identified),
1915
United States Army Military History Institute Carlisle
Barracks, 1903-1916 and undated
The Charles and Horace Hobbs Papers,
1864-1945
3
11
Re: The Philippines,
1903-1905 and
undated
3
12
Printed Material - Hugh Lenox Scott,
undated
Moses Thisted Papers, 1896-1917
3
13
Re: National Guard and Reserve - Mexican Border Duty,
1916
3
14
Various Collections - Re: Mexico,
1911
United States Military Academy Library - Special
Collections, 1843-1878 and undated
Scott, Hugh Lenox, 1855-1934, USMA 1876
Papers
3
15
Correspondence,
1843 and
undated
3
16
Correspondence from West Point,
1871-1874
3
17
Correspondence to Mary Scott (Mother) while stationed
in the west,
1877-1878
3
18
Correspondence from W. B. S. (brother),
1878
United States National Archive, 1876-1917
Army War College
3
19
National Army Plan,
1916
3
20
Office of the Chief of
Staff - "The National Army Obtained by Universal Service…,
1917
Records of the Adjutant General's Office
3
21
Re: Apache Indians,
1897-1913
3
22
Re: Apache
Prisoners,
1911
3
23
General Correspondence,
1897-1903
3
24
General Correspondence - Re: Francisco
Pancho Villa and Mexico,
1914-1916
3
25
General Correspondence - Re: Moqui (Hopi) Reservation
School,
1911
3
26
General Correspondence - Re: Navajo Indians,
1913
3
27
General Correspondence - Re: Piute [sic] Indians,
1915
3
28
Re: Operations in the Philippines,
1903-1904
3
29
Report of Field Operations - Philippines,
1905
3
30
Report on Investigation of Actions of Captain Harry O.
Williard Re: Navajo Indians,
1908
3
31
Re: Scott, Hugh Lenox, Application for Leave,
1878
3
32
Re: Scott, Hugh Lenox, Assignment/Appointment,
1876-1917
3
33
Re: Scott, Hugh Lenox, Examination for Promotion and
Associated Documents,
1892
3
34
Re: Scott, Hugh Lenox, Service and Efficiency Reports,
1906-1911
3
35
Re: Strength and Organization of the Armed Land
Forces,
1915-1916
3
36
Re: Miscellaneous,
1880-1909
Records of the Department of State Relating to Internal
Affairs of Mexico, 1910-1929
3
37
Selections from File Number 812.63, Microfilm ID:
M274,
1913-1915
Records of the Judge Advocate General's
Office
3
38
General Court Martial for Captain C. W. Holsenpiller,
1877
4
1
Court Martial Case of Lieutenant C. J. Witherill,
1877-1878
Records of the United States Military
Academy
4
2
Records of the Association of Graduates - News
clippings,
1914-1933
Records of the War Department General and Special
Staffs
4
3
Correspondence to Hugh Lenox Scott,
1895
4
4
Re: Apache
Prisoners,
1911
4
5
Army War College,
1916
4
6
Army War College - Schedule
of Priority of Shipments,
1917
4
7
Re: Chief of Staff - Duties,
1916
4
8
Kiowa and Comanche Agency,
1894
4
9
Re: Mexico,
1910-1916
4
10
Re: Scott, Hugh Lenox, Chief of Staff of Army,
1914-1916
4
11
Re: Universal Training and Service,
1916
4
12
Re: Villa, Francisco Pancho and Mexico,
1915-1917
4
13
World War I,
1917
University of Texas Library, undated
4
14
Re: Villistas; code, (collection unidentified),
undated